


a turn of the globe, a day, a year

by spidersrorg



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Domestic Bliss, Established Relationship, Gift Giving, Growing Old Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-10
Updated: 2017-08-10
Packaged: 2018-12-13 12:41:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11760114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spidersrorg/pseuds/spidersrorg
Summary: “But milord, it gives you such a mature allure…”Leo would ignore his greying hair as long as he could.





	a turn of the globe, a day, a year

**Author's Note:**

  * For [birbmeow](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=birbmeow).



Leo jolted when he felt the sharp tug of a hair being pulling from his head.

 

“Awhhh,” cooed his retainer’s deep voice from behind him, “you’ll match me soon.”

 

The prince swatted away Niles’ hand and turned back to his vanity where he was preparing for the day ahead, “Don’t suggest such a thing. I’m not going grey.”

 

....At least he wasn’t balding like his brother.

 

But the truth was there in the mirror, his hair sprouting strands of white amongst the rest of his blonde. Perhaps he’d have to order some color soon, dyes from the south that weren’t able to be produced in Windmire… But then Niles would tease him for how vain he was. Niles always had. 

 

That trait of his was proven by the fact that he still sat at his vanity each morning and spent a turn of the hourglass preparing himself. Even now, glasses sitting upon his nose, he applied a dash of brown atop his eyelashes.

 

“But milord, it gives you such a mature allure…” the voice came out as a purr and hands wrapped around his waist, then he felt breath against his neck.

 

“Niles. We’re busy today,” Leo huffed. But in the mirror, he could see the red that brightened his cheeks and crawled down his neck. 

 

At that, he decided perhaps he was done. Despite how the hourglass beside him hadn’t yet run low. Largely, it was that Niles’ eyes upon him would cost him another hour…

 

Leo stood and turned toward Niles and set his hands upon his shoulders. He walked Niles backwards to clear the path his retainer had crowded.

 

“My, my, is this the direction of the bed--”

 

“ _Niles_.”

 

That was met with a chuckle.

 

Leo combatted that with a smirk. He could one-up Niles, with: “Perhaps later.”

 

The grin on Niles’ own face dropped for a second in surprise, but then widened. When he did that, Leo saw the crinkle of his lips, the small lines at the corner of his eye…

 

They’d been together so long.

 

“Then, I’m off,” Leo said, passing Niles.

 

“Don’t I get a kiss before you go?”

 

“Hmm… No. I can be a tease, too.”

 

His retainer made a noise of disgruntlement. Leo knew he’d have to follow up on his insinuations... he’d need avoid strenuous activity the rest of the day. He didn’t have the energy he once did…

 

Once he walked to the library and sat down for his paperwork, he glanced to the side, catching a glimpse of a gift he had given Niles.

 

He remembered the day; a fond memory of his, nearly as close to his heart as his proposal.

 

\-------

 

“Ooooh, a blindfold? Is this surprise something spicy? Should I steel myself?”

 

“Perhaps,” Leo said with a grin, not that Niles could see it. But he couldn’t help himself. His heart fluttered with giddy excitement, that an item he’d ordered from afar had finally arrived.

 

“You know, you didn’t have to waste a strip of such fine silk to cover my eyes. You could have simply moved my eyepatch over…”

 

“I doubt you’d appreciate being toted around the castle like that, love.”

 

Niles stopped for a moment, likely mulling over that statement. Leo knew Niles held some shame about what was under his eyepatch, only baring it to Leo. But they had been soldiers. They had seen much worse in the war, on and off the battlefield. A healed wound was nothing…

 

“So the surprise isn’t in the bedroom...I’d say that was disappointing, but now I’m completely at a loss. The anticipation is killing me.”

 

Leo stepped behind Niles and set his hands upon his shoulders, guiding him forward, careful not to let his retainer bump into any corners. Niles needed his arms, after all, to shoot his bow and do his duties.

 

“A turn here...a few paces there… Where are we going...hm.”

 

“Stop trying to guess or I’ll take you in circles. This is fun, I could spend an hour pushing you around like this.”

 

Niles huffed and said no more.

 

Since Leo did not take up his threat to lead them in circles, they reached the library quickly. It was a trodden path in the stone corridors, one he took whenever he had a chance. That he would place Niles’ gift in his favorite place was befitting. 

 

“We’re here,” Leo said as he settled them before the desk the gift sat upon. He untied the cloth from Niles’ head and allowed it to fall to the floor in a show of dramatics. 

 

Niles stared at it for a moment, his brows furrowing.

 

Leo watched him, then came to the conclusion that...perhaps Niles didn’t know what it was?

 

“A star globe, Niles. It shows the constellations, where they appear…”

 

“...I know what it is, milord. It’s beautiful. But are these not terribly expensive?”

 

“Well, yes. Globes are handmade by master craftsmen on the western continent, and one such as this would also require the consultation of an astronomer. But price is of no matter, Niles. Not when it comes to you, or us.”

 

Niles wet his lips, and looked to Leo, still silent. He seemed...nervous.

 

Leo felt the need to fill that silence, perhaps with reassurances. “This will help provide education to future generations. To Siegbert, to his future son, to their advisors as I am to our King. It is for them, but now, it is for you.”

 

That seemed to be enough for Niles, and his face took upon a smile. He turned to Leo and took his face into his hands, then brushed them past his cheeks to thread into his hair. He lips met Leo’s, soft, a soft kiss that was usually reserved for his forehead, his cheeks.

 

“Leo…” It was rare that Niles’ voice was so soft, or that he spoke his name without title, “I love you so much.”

 

Leo’s eyes fluttered shut and he gave Niles his own kiss.

  
Then he swallowed.

  
“As you know...History will remember me, as a prince.”

 

Leo took Niles’ hand and guided it to the base of the globe. He guided Niles’ fingers over the gold placard placed there, over engraved lettering.

 

“They’ll remember you, too.”

 

_ 「 _ _ To Niles, my own stars. _ _ 」 _

 

_ \---- _

 

Leo smiled as he looked at it, then spun the globe a small amount, so that his favorite constellation faced him.

 

The Archer.

 

It was held in space right next to the Dusk Dragon. His own ancestor. While it wasn’t how the myths and stories went, he liked to believe that perhaps… The Archer was protecting the Dragon. 

 

That he and Niles’ story was written in the stars, that they were destined. 

 

Niles had been the one to come up with that.

 

Leo had cried upon his shoulder when he did. He thought he saw a tear fall from Niles’ eye as well.

 

Niles…

 

Leo’s fond smile grew a little when he remembered earlier that morning… the fine lines on Niles’ face. They were growing old together. A love he’d never thought he’d have as a prince. 

 

But then he stopped for a moment, and remembered then his thoughts from as he entered the library.

  
Leo didn’t have as much energy as he once did.

 

Niles was older than him, though now they knew it wasn’t by much. 

 

If Leo was losing his energy, feeling his age...it was likely Niles was as well. With all of his frisky teasing, one would think he was as lively as he was when he was in his twenties. Niles’ age hadn’t even been something that Leo had thought about, been aware of, until that moment. After all, Niles was good at hiding things bothering him, something that always vexed Leo… and his hair was already white. How was Leo supposed to guess by that?

 

Now, Leo was concerned.

 

While Nohr was at peace at the moment, with Xander having been on the throne so long, the royal family beloved what with Camilla’s orphanage and Elise as Grand Healer, there were still dangers to Leo’s life at hand. Especially as the King’s advisor. He was the least loved of all. Not that it wasn’t something he was used to.

 

Retainer to the King’s advisor was a dangerous position. And...Niles was expected to give his life for Leo, if the need came.

 

With aging, Niles wouldn’t be as dextrous as he once was. If a threat came to Leo…

 

Leo couldn’t live without Niles.

 

…

 

He couldn’t think about this now. Not when his throat was tightening and he had so much work to do. He’d think about it when there was time, when he had a chance to come to a logical response.

 

Luckily, he had always been good at smothering his emotions.

 

\---------

 

That night, when he was worn and Niles’ bare chest pressed against his back as he snored, Leo wept.

 

\--------

 

The solution came to him the next week, as he turned over the work Xander had pawned off on him. New trainees for the King’s Guard. A much different position than retainer, for which Peri stood proudly, but a prestigious one nonetheless.

 

A book of young soldiers, already the most skilled in their field.

 

As he chose ones for Xander to be examined, interrogated, even, he set aside the sheets for a few promising young women.  _ Women _ , so Niles wouldn’t feel...jealous. He knew his lover could be...possessive... it was endearing. And also something Leo quite liked in a less pure manner.

 

When they were young and snuck into the city and Niles would pull him into his lap and practically growl when men leered at him…oh. Those were distracting memories. But ones to think about later. In private.

 

Once he’d chosen the profiles for the King and those for himself, he set aside his paperwork. He was done for the day, thankfully. He had an audience with Xander, then he was free to spend the evening as he wished.

 

Which, of course, would be spending it with Niles. He’d been so busy recently...new trade deals, construction projects, drama with lords and grains and other inane things that didn’t need to be reaching someone in as high a position as he was. Things that didn’t need to be taking him away from his own life.

 

Dinner with Niles was usually an event.

 

His retainer was, by all the technicalities of marriage, a prince himself. It was something he never brought up, even still calling Leo “his prince”, “his lord”, every title he could.

 

But he certainly brought it up when dealing with the kitchens.

 

Food had been scarce Niles’ entire life. One of the perks he’d gotten as retainer was access to healthy and filling food. One of the perks of being Leo’s lover had been Leo calling for decadent food for the both of them.

 

The only perk Niles took advantage of as a prince was ordering that decadent food as he wished.

 

It never failed to amuse Leo. But while his husband took advantage of the kitchens, he invariably called for Leo’s favorites when he knew Leo was having a stressful day. Niles always looked out for Leo, even in small ways such as that.

 

So when there was beef and tomato stew on the table in his room, Leo wasn’t surprised. But still, he was delighted.

 

He smiled and sat across from Niles at the table, who had clearly been waiting for him. Not so long that the stew had gone cold, but long enough to order the food… Leo would feel a little guilty if it weren’t a duty Niles had taken upon himself.

 

Leo settled the papers onto the table as he took up his spoon, eager to eat.

 

However, Niles piped up, “Ah-ah-ah,” he tutted, then spoke in a teasing tone, “what have I said about bringing work to the bedroom, darling husband of mine?”

 

“Mmmmghh,” Leo rolled his eyes and started his stew. While Niles had said it teasingly, Leo knew he was serious about the matter. It was something Niles had chided him about...because Leo would get carried away and work by candlelight until dawn. 

 

Which perhaps was the reason he now wore glasses. Then there was the other point, that he needed more rest as he was older…

 

“What’s so important you’ve brought it in here? Oooh, is it confidential? Or have you written me a love letter?” Now that Leo had begun eating, Niles began to as well. A propriety that had been drilled into him when he had first come to the castle, to wait until those of higher status to eat. Even though he was now of the same status of Leo...

 

...Perhaps Leo _would_ do that soon. Write Niles a love letter. That was a good suggestion. With their domesticity, there were no longer as many romantic gestures as there once were. Not that Leo would have it any other way.

 

“They’re profiles for a new retainer,” Leo said, continuing his meal, picking around the vegetables in the broth in favor of the tomatoes. A habit that, as an adult, he should have abandoned… but the tomatoes were the best part.

 

“...Ahhh.”

 

Niles set down his fork and turned toward his wine, something Leo assumed was brought out for their evening together. 

 

But rather than sip it, as Niles had at least begun to do in recent years to at least seem civilized, he downed it.

 

He pushed away his bowl and stood from the table. He walked past Leo, stopping briefly to rub Leo’s shoulder, then walked to the door.

 

“Enjoy your evening, milord,” he said with a calm smile on his face, “It’s rare recently you have respite. Would you like a bath drawn?”

 

“...That would be nice,” Leo replied. Niles’ bowl had scarcely been touched… wasn’t he hungry? It wasn’t a subject that Leo felt he should touch upon. With his past, Niles had always been touchy on the matter of food.

 

“So it shall be done.”

 

Then Niles turned and left, before Leo could ask if Niles would be joining him.

 

Usually, when he told Niles he was going to bathe, Niles would without fail ask, “Without me?”

 

Well. There went Leo’s plans for the evening.

 

Niles had a life, too. Perhaps he had his own plans. 

 

But once Leo had finished his bath, and Niles was not yet in their chambers, he began to question things. He’d been gone for turns of the hourglass since he could reheat the water as he wished with his magic, something that always annoyed Niles, but something Leo loved himself. That Niles hadn’t yet returned…

 

_Oh_.

 

Leo wasn’t the most perceptive when it came to people’s emotions. His brilliant mind worked with matters of logic, but with matters of heart he was often at a loss.

 

But as he dried his hair, he pieced together that Niles was upset. Had something happened that day? He’d seek out Niles to talk about it. That would be for the best. They both had the bad habit of bottling things up…

 

Leo was grateful that Niles no longer snuck off to pubs when he was distressed, as he had when he was young. He was glad that Niles had realized bar fights are not a good outlet for anger.

 

So that only left a few places for him to search. Niles would not have left the castle grounds, most likely.

 

On the castle grounds was indeed where he found his retainer, on the training grounds, firing arrows into a target perched on a stack of hay.

 

The other targets in the line were full of the arrows, none plucked out though a squire should have cleaned the grounds around sundown. How long had Niles been out here, to fill each target? Since he’d left dinner? It was dark, but Niles still hit the targets with precision...

 

“Niles,” Leo called out to him, and the man lowered his bow. He turned to look at Leo, then set it down to make his way over.

 

“Milord. How has your evening been?”

 

“Boring. But perhaps that’s what I needed,” Leo said as he eyed Niles. He was drenched in sweat and, with exhaustion, couldn’t seem to hide his pained expression despite his jovial tone of voice. Leo couldn’t tell what that expression meant. That he was in physical pain? That he was angry, or upset?

 

He needed a way to breach the topic.

 

Leo sighed, “Take that shirt off. It’s disgusting.”

 

“Right out here? Naughty, naughty, milord.”

 

“No shirt should ever be covered in that much sweat.”   
  


“I’ll keep in mind to strip sooner, to my lord’s pleasure,” Niles did indeed take off his shirt. Then used it to wipe the rest of the sweat from his body. While that was an attractive movement, it was also a tad bit distasteful, and there were more pressing manners at hand.

 

“No. How long have you been out here?”

 

Niles’ face fell more than it already had and he shrugged.

 

“An answer, Niles.”

 

“...Since dinner.”

 

Leo furrowed his brows. Was he that mad that Leo had brought work to their room? Wouldn’t that be quite the overreaction?

 

“...What happened today?”

 

Niles’ response was a cruel snort and shrug, “I don’t fucking know. Why don’t you tell me?”

 

A blank stare was all Leo could manage. The response came as a complete shock.

 

“Gods,” Niles huffed and shook his head, “the fuck did I do? Why are you firing me? You gonna throw me out now? I ain’t useful to you anymore?”

 

“Niles? No?” Leo’s voice choked. 

 

“Then the fuck were those papers?”

 

Oh.

 

_OH_.

 

How could Leo be so blind?

 

“You’ll be promoted, Niles,” Leo shook his head, more to calm himself than to calm Niles. He felt himself begin to shake, his throat already tightening. It began as a response to Niles’ raised voice, but now it was growing as guilt. That he hadn’t communicated properly. “You’re a prince, Niles. You’re my husband. You needn’t even work, but I know you want to. You’ll be promoted.”

 

Niles’ face seemed to relax a little, and he swallowed, “Ah.”

 

“I...I don’t know what position is higher than retainer, but I’ll make one up for you. The pay will be higher, Niles,” the tears he held back dripped onto his glasses and he pushed them up to wipe his eyes.

 

“Leo…” Niles’ face changed expression entirely, a deep concern, then stepped forward and wrapped his arms around him, pulling Leo to his chest, guiding his head to the crook of his shoulder. How Niles always held him if he cried. 

 

He shook in his arms, allowing himself to be held for a moment, but pulled away, “This is gross. You’re so sweaty.”

 

There was a chuckle from Niles at that, a soft smile settling on Niles’ lips, “That isn’t usually something you complain about…”

 

Leo gave Niles a soft push to his shoulders in response and sniffed his nose, trying to regain composure. Then he sighed, “Look at me. Stealing comfort from you when you’re the one upset…”

 

“Hush, milord,” Niles said, and he combed his fingers through Leo’s hair. Then he swallowed, “Though, I don’t understand what you’re doing. Have I misstepped as your retainer?”

 

“No, no,” Leo closed his eyes, mulling over how to explain his thought process. Thinking, that was easy. Speaking, communicating, no matter how well Niles understood him, was hard.

 

“Niles...we’re old,” and he laughed as he said it, “gods, we’re old men.”

 

His laughter was then accompanied by Niles’ own, “That’s not something I ever thought I’d hear you admit, my vain little prince.”   
  


“ _Niiillles_ ,” Leo whined, but his laughter didn’t cease. 

 

Hands took up his cheeks, then, and his forehead was anointed with a small kiss.

 

“What’s that to do with retainers? Was it time I received a promotion by law?”

 

Leo shook his head, the movement restrained by Niles’ hands holding his face, and also causing his cheeks to squish as he moved. That, he could tell by the way Niles smirked at him. Dare he call him cute, then…

 

“Not something of that sort. There’s no extant position above ‘retainer’...but. I worry. Your job is dangerous, Niles. We’ve no longer the strength of young soldiers. If you were to be hurt…”

 

“I’ve all the dexterity of my youth, milord, you needn’t worry there.”

Leo chewed his lip, but then decided he needed to take a page from Niles’ book to settle the argument.

 

“Oh, but Niles, I could say quite different. In our chambers, you…”

 

“What, is my performance lacking?” Niles was quick to jump on that topic, “Perhaps I need more practice, then--”

 

Leo smiled, neither was upset any longer it seemed, “Well. I _did_ intend to spend my free evening with you…”

 

“Ohoho,” Niles had his grin back, but Leo was quick to shut that down.

 

“...But not with such activities. Not while you’re so incredibly sweaty. You’ll smell and your skin will stick to me.”

 

Niles groaned and blew a raspberry, reminiscent of Elise.

 

That was something Leo could placate, though, “The stars are lovely tonight, however. The grass should be covered in cool evening dew… perhaps that could cool your sweat until you can bathe,” then he added, “ _before_ you get in bed with me.”

 

“Milord still comes up with romantic evening plans, it seems,” Niles cooed, “have you been reading romance novels instead of your work?”

 

“...For your information, I did while I was in the tub,” it made him flush that Niles read him so easily.

 

Hand in hand, they made their way up a nearby hill behind the castle grounds, away from the lights of the castletown, towards where the sky opened up toward the stars. 

 

Although Leo couldn’t see the sky clearly without his glasses, and Niles had a cloth draped over him to prevent his sweat from touching Leo, together they laid in the grass.

 

Overhead, the Archer and the Dusk Dragon shined bright, the stars holding their story eternal.

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> A commission for my good friend @birbmeow! Thank you so much Jelly!
> 
> I had so much fun writing this. These two...these two.


End file.
